Page 51 of Protected By Duval
Ciela looked at it and then turned her head. She saw her mom and asked her in a whisper that wasn’t all that quiet, “I can have it?”
That was good, he reasoned.
Gifts from veritable strangers? It was really good that she asked her mom first.
It was a sad commentary on the world, but Noelle and her mother were raising a smart little girl.
Noelle nodded and gestured with her hand. “That’s Mister King, sweetie. He’s Mama’s friend.”
Ciela whirled back around and grinned at him.
“Thanks, Mister King.”
She held her hands out and stepped closer to the point when her belly was leaning into his knee.
He put the armadillo plush in her arms and she hugged it tight.
“Softy!”
He grinned. Yeah. It was soft. Which was kind of silly since it was a stuffed animal made to resemble an animal that was hard. “Do you know what it is?”
Ciela held it out in front of her so she could look at it. Then she turned it over and then around and around.
He saw the moment of recognition when she perked up and grinned ear to ear.
“I know!”
Duval smiled and felt like his heart was doubling inside of his chest.
Ciela whirled around and lifted it over her head. “Mama! Abuelita! Look! It’s a speedbump!”
Duval watched both women’s eyes widen at the announcement.
Then he saw Noelle’s mother squeeze her eyes shut and cover her mouth, likely to keep from laughing.
Noelle shook her head like she was clearing her thoughts. “What is that, baby? What did you say?”
Ciela lowered her arms and wrapped them around the stuffed animal, rocking it back and forth.
“The video,” Ciela announced, “the funny video!”
“Aydios mio.”Patricia groaned and shook her head. She looked over at Noelle with a sad frown. “I was watching funny animal videos on YouTube. There was a driver who ran over an armadillo and he called it a-”
“Speed bump.” Noelle groaned. “Ma!”
“I know… it wasn’t funny after all. I ended the video then and found another video to watch. I didn’t think…”
Noelle wrapped an arm around her mother’s shoulders. “Little pitchers have big ears, Mama. You taught me that.”
Ciela tapped his knee and looked up at him. “Not a speed bump?”
“No.” He shook his head and reached out to pet the stuffed animal she had placed on his thigh. “It’s an armadillo.”
“Arm-a-dillo.” Ciela repeated the word. “Armadillo.” She nodded. “I like my armadillo. Thanks, Mister King.”
She leaned against him grinning and then half-walked, half-skipped to her grandmother to show off her stuffed animal.
“Armadillo, Abuelita.”
